Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-30
he bad made The same Acknowledgement to
the Chief The dar after the occ lrrence.

| II ain iDlOIIncu. Wts tahtH w cithct mi,
iske; certainly no formal charges wer
preferred.
It Is also we'll knowufhat the gong OF No
enaine.hOuse has been since condemne,
and removed as unreliable and new on
put In ITS place; 80 that It Is far from clea
that any one was to blame Ia the premises
bu; tie mistake may have been caused by
the incorrect striking OF imperfect appsra
tus. will add, In conclusion, under tbil
specification. gentlemen. that II scarcely
seems fair that the conduct Of m officer. IA
sleeping 10 an engine. house, although moi
required by the regulations to do so, should
be cited as special demonstration or agyra
vston OF his inefllciency and earelessne,s
81. II Is charged that In violation OF 9
"standiug ordern allowed the steamer.
TO remain standing in the street instead Of
sending them to the dock 10 open
water when an aaim came in from Box
y, on December 21st (presumed to be
1856, fire on Cary street, between Seven.
teenth and Eighteenth streets, NoI. l7l6,
'1s, go, '22.
| answer: No such alarm was turned Ia
and no such fire occurred on December
2lsf. The fire occurred on December 18th,
| and this order was Issued after aud In con-
sequence OF the fire and bears date Dccem.
| ber aist.
Furthermore, the order, as issued, did
not cover the locality OF the fire. After il
| was posted 1t was so altered as 10 cover 1t
| BY whom or by whose authority do moi
know.
Again: certoinly am not responsible for
| the engines remaining " standing on the
| streets" / reached the fire in advance OF
| the engines with a hOse.cart aud imme.
dIately ordered two plug-streams 10 be
turned on-One in front and one in rear OF
| the burning building. Every fireman
| knows the difficulty OF recalling the exact
| order Of occurrences at a fire, but niy
strong impression Is that First-Assistant
Mountcaste also arrived before the engines
| Uknow 1t was but few moments after my
arrivaD, and, rs provided by the rules.
| tsee page % OF MapuaD "reheved" me aod
assumed control. He "approved the
arrangements &: had) made ior the sup.
preston Of the 6re," and ordered me TO get
ready the ladders and not to Use the en-
eines. When Chief Fuqua came on the
field. a few moments later, he also approved
our plons and added third stream from the
PLUGS, which in tins locality have immense
power. Indeed. the engines were not
used until after Captain Redwood Informed
the building. which he alone knew rom
having le, led on 1t a few DAYS before.
One OF the engines Standing on the
streets" on that occasiOr-yiZ., Steamer
No. Twas well known 20 be incapable OF
drawing effectuay from open water. and
is now at the North, or has Just returned,
where she has been repaired and refi'te1
at cost OF several hundred dollars, with
view OF remedylng this defect.
The Chief adds To tins charge the state.
ment that my failure TO carry out the
standing order" 10 20 10 open water
"nece>sitated the calling out Of additional
apparatus" How or why am at loss 10
understand. Additional apparatus was.
indeed, called out, and that by order OF the
Chief himself. But the two engines on the
ground were fired mp and ready for work,
aud subject, OF eouce, 10 his order; aud
BIZ messenger sent to call Others from dis
tance passed directly by one OF these On.
gln6s, and called from a box alongside
which the other stood.
4th. lt is charged that failed to investi-
gate and report the cause Of the absence OF
4 driver az q fire January 9th presumed To
be 1850, though ordered by the Chief 10
do so, and "gaye poor excuse" for the
failure.
| confess this charge, not less than the
last preceding. fills me With amazement.
! did attend 10 the matter, without delay,
ordering the captIin OF the company con-
ccrned 10 furnish me promptly with "A re.
pOIt. He did 20. but at the time of pre-
9nting 1t asked me not 10 forward It 10 the
HIIei IniiI he could have an opportunity
OF stating TO HIM that the absence Of the
driver was clearly the result OF nisap.
prehtnHon, sud just one OF those "minor
breaches Of discipline" Which, under ihe
rules (see Manual, top ~ page 22\, had
The aulh"rity 10 "selte and dispose OF"
without troubling the commltec. readily
asstuted, AID the very next day. tnInkA
he informed me That the Chiu hsF
also agreed, but would himself be present
at the trial, for which he made an appoint
ment. The Captaip, the witnesses, the ac.
cr'ed, and myself all met the appointment,
but the Chief did not. At snbsequent ap- |
poiDtment we were all present; the evi. |
dence was heard; Tue ease decided, ana |
the driver reprimanded by The Chief him |
self. | deem II not too much TO add that |
no one concerned officers, witnesses. or |
accused, save, as II now seems the Cnlef |
imagined that toe case was |
not completely and finally disposed of ut |
this lime.
The ChiCf adds: ~ also gave him a |
very severe reminder that he bad not at.
tended 20 his dutiTs." With all respect, hr |
must coniOund these circumstances with
otbers, for he certainly has never mention
ed this matter to NE from that day TO this. |
Indeed, he has never addressed me in such |
terms US could properly be thus charaete.
Iiztd.
Respectfully submitted.
T.. T. SNEAD.
Subscribed aud sworn to before me this
10Th day Of June. 1887.
". II. TALMlN,
Notary Public City OF Richmond, Va.
NO COURT.
After the answer was read the exsmna.
ion Of with; ses was begun, Captain Isa-
lsre IITshberg being the first witness.
v hIle be was being examined Major Stilcs
objected TO one Of the questions.
Mr.. Murphy claimed that the question
concerned the capacity OF the accused, and
lis capacity was what the committee was
lter.
Mr.. kaufman OR. Molloy in the chair
sid he wanled ii understood at once that
he committee when il granted coun ell per-
MISSION 10 be present did not intend to al
Ow them to say what question was or was
oi admissible. ave 10 not propose" he
aid, "to Try the case in legal court OF
lw STYLE; we won't be guided by the rules
! the legal fraternity, but by our common
ense."
Maior stiles said he had duty TO per-
orm, and when he though question I'M
air he intended TO oppose ii. He was not
rying TO bring In any courtrules, but only
Tanted fair play for bis client, and he did
ot consider an attempt TO specify or bring
ut other charges not contained In the spe-
ifcaiions written, and which he had had |
o opportunity TO reply 10. as fair.
EXAMINATION.
The examination then continued, Cap
lin ilirshberg being questioned closely bg
hief Fuqua, members OF the committee,
nd counsfl present.
Runner +. Z. Moore, OF Stfaner No. ..
las next examined.
cen examined Mr.. Page offered the follow
,g:
Resolred, That the charges against As
stapt-Engineer 4. L. Snead be dism'sSel
nd that be be admonished TO enforce here.
ter more rigidly the rules OF the depart. |,
ent in his district.
Mr.. Page said he thought the charges |
ade bad not been sustained, and that was
i reason for Offering the resolution.
Mr. Murphy said be thought the charge
I'd been very well proved.
A q ~ a. 1